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Best Cricket phones (August 2017)

165.1 x 83.1 x 9.4 mmWe’ve already covered the best smartphones you can buy from Verizon, AT&T and Sprint, but what if you are not the commitment kind? If you’d like to go the prepaid route, Cricket Wireless is a great option. The prepaid carrier has a wide selection of phones and decent coverage all around the United States. It also offers some of the most aggressive rates around, especially if you’re willing to sign up for autopay (smartphone plans as cheap as $35 a month, all fees included).

So, what are the best Android phones you can buy on Cricket? While we’ll admit there aren’t tons of phones sold directly through Cricket, there are a few gems. Most of Cricket’s offerings are relatively low cost, so this is a list of all the best smartphones available on the carrier. If none of these devices are your cup of tea, check out our best cheap Android phones or best Android phones list – as any unlocked GSM phone compatible with AT&T’s network will play nicely with Cricket.

Editor’s note – We will be updating this list as more devices hit the market.

The best prepaid and no contract plans in the US

Samsung Galaxy S8

Following a successful launch of the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, Samsung seemed to have a pretty good idea as to what users want in a smartphone. Solid battery life, high-res screens, impressive camera performance and more were all things the company achieved with the 2016 flagships. And while the Note 7 seemed to improve even more in those areas, overheating problems caused the device to enter total recall mode.

Now we get to see what Samsung has in store for us in 2017. It should come as no surprise that the Galaxy S8 features top-of-the-line specifications, a great camera and an all-new design that’s truly futuristic.

Best Samsung phones

May 15, 2017

This time around, Samsung included a curved screen on the S8, as well as a unique 18.5:9 aspect ratio that allows for a much more comfortable in-hand feel. The company even ditched its famous physical home button and included on-screen navigation keys (finally). Under the hood, the device comes with the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor (or Exynos 8895, depending on the region), 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB of on-board storage, and one of the latest versions of Android, 7.0 Nougat.

Samsung even launched a few extra accessories alongside the S8 that you should definitely consider checking out. The new Samsung DeX dock lets you use your S8 as a desktop computer, and there’s also a new Gear 360 camera that allows for shooting video in 4K and live streaming to YouTube. Of course, there’s also a new Galaxy S8-compatible Gear VR headset, complete with a controller for easier navigation.

All in all, the Galaxy S8 is one of the most promising smartphones launching in 2017.

Samsung Galaxy S7

Samsung did a killer job with their 2015 flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. Design-wise, many would say those two phones were close to perfect. The company forwent a plastic design and instead included glass front and back panels with an aluminum frame. They weren’t without their flaws, though. The S6 and S6 Edge didn’t offer expandable storage or removable batteries — two features Samsung has been known to include in all its smartphones for years.

While the Galaxy S7 isn’t the latest and greatest from the company anymore, it’s still a solid smartphone overall. It doesn’t offer a removable battery, though Samsung included expandable storage on the handset in case the 32 GB of on-board storage isn’t enough. Samsung mostly stuck to the same design this time around, though they did shrink down the camera bump on the back and made the device a little thicker to make room for larger battery.

In terms of specs, this is a top-of-the-line smartphone. It comes with a Quad HD Super AMOLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 processor, 4 GB of RAM, a great 12 MP rear-facing camera and it runs the latest version of Android. Seriously, this is an incredible smartphone. It’s a little pricey, but all in all, we think the high asking price is worth it.

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Alcatel Idol 4

Alcatel’s new Idol 4 is a great follow up to the company’s previous flagship, the Idol 3.

It comes with a nice 5.2-inch Full HD display, a powerful Snapdragon 617 processor, 16 GB of on-board storage, and microSD expansion up to 512 GB. It also comes with an impressive 13 MP rear camera, a big 2,610 mAh battery, as well as a pair of multi-directional speakers for great audio quality. It also comes pre-packaged with a VR headset, which is a really nice touch.

Specs

5.2-inch IPS LCD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, 424 ppi

Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor

2/3 GB of RAM

16 GB of on-board storage, microSD expansion up to 512 GB

13 MP rear camera, 8 MP front camera

Non-removable 2,610 mAh battery

Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow

147 x 72.5 x 7.1 mm, 135 g

Read more

ZTE Blade X Max

Looking for a budget-friendly device on Cricket? The ZTE Blade X Max is a new mid-range smartphone that comes with a large 6-inch Full HD screen. You’ll find the Snapdragon 435 chipset under the hood along with 2 GB of RAM. There’s 32 GB of storage available that can be expanded for an additional 128 GB with the help of a microSD card.

The smartphone is equipped with a 13 MP primary camera, a 5 MP selfie snapper, and ships with Android 7.1.1 Nougat on board. It features a fingerprint scanner located on the back and a 3,400 mAh battery with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0.

If you’re in the market for a phablet that won’t break the bank, the Blade X Max looks like a good option.